240 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 5

yan-miilonmila-parasor
visnor nalayito ‘rbhakah

daiteya—of the demoniac family; candana-vane—in the sandalwood
forest; jatah—born; ayam—this; kantaka-drumah—thorn tree; yat—
of which; miila—of the roots; unmiila—in the cutting; parasoh—who is
like an axe; wisnoh—of Lord Visnu; ndldyitah—the handle;
arbhakah—boy.

TRANSLATION

This rascal Prahlada has appeared like a thorn tree in a forest of
sandalwood. To cut down sandalwood trees, an axe is needed, and
the wood of the thorn tree is very suitable for the handle of such
an axe. Lord Visnu is the axe for cutting down the sandalwood
forest of the family of demons, and this Prahlada is the handle for
that axe.

PURPORT

Thorn trees generally grow in deserted places, not in sandalwood
forests, but the seminal brahmanas Sanda and Amarka compared the
dynasty of the Daitya Hiranyakasipu to a sandalwood forest and com-
pared Prahlada Maharaja to a hard, strong thorn tree that could provide
the handle of an axe. They compared Lord Visnu to the axe itself. An axe
alone cannot cut a thorn tree; it needs a handle, which may be made of
the wood of a thorn tree. Thus the thorn tree of demoniac civilization can
be cut to pieces by the axe of visnu-bhakti, devotional service to Lord
Krsna. Some of the members of the demoniac civilization, like Prahlada
Maharaja, may become the handle for the axe, to assist Lord Visnu, and
thus the entire forest of demoniac civilization can be cut to pieces.

TEXT 18
sft a fafraaniteieanteh: |
mere mera faasletteneay 2c!

iti tam vividhopayair
bhisayars tarjanddibhih
